Gasteraloe plant named ‘OVROCKS08’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct x  Gasteraloe  plant named ‘OVROCKS08’ which is characterized by dark green foliage that is moderately to densely covered with very light greyed-green protuberances randomly arranged on the leaf surface, protuberances along the distal centerline of the abaxial foliar surface that are arranged in a distinct line and modified into spines like those of the foliar margins, and finely dentate margins with very light greyed-green teeth. The new variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus and species of the novel variety disclosed herein is xGasteraloe beguinii.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of xGasteraloe disclosed herein has been given the variety denomination ‘OVROCKS08’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to the Community Plant Variety Rights application number 2020/2874, filed on Nov. 13, 2020, which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: ‘OVROCKS08’ originated as a naturally occurring, whole-plant mutation of an unnamed xGasteraloe beguinii plant (not patented). The inventor of ‘OVROCKS08’ is a commercial ornamental plant producer and regularly discovers mutations of xGasteraloe at his greenhouse operation in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands. For said mutations which seem to exhibit commercial potential, cuttings are taken to produce trial plants which are subsequently grown for evaluation.

The variety now called ‘OVROCKS08’ was initially discovered in the summer of 2016 as a whole-plant mutation of an unnamed xGasteraloe plant which exhibited dark green foliage, lighter green near the base, with uniquely arranged foliar protuberances and dentate foliar margins. At the time of discovery, cuttings were taken and the resulting plants were evaluated at the inventor's greenhouse. After further evaluation it was determined that the candidate plant's unique foliage characteristics would prove favorable for commercial marketability. The new plant was given the denomination ‘OVROCKS08’.

Asexual Reproduction: The variety now called ‘OVROCKS08’ was first asexually propagated by stem cuttings in the summer of 2016 at a greenhouse in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands and has since been vegetatively propagated through four additional generations. Through subsequent generations, the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘OVROCKS08’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘OVROCKS08’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘OVROCKS08’ as a new and distinct xGasteraloe cultivar:

-   -   1. ‘OVROCKS08’ exhibits lanceolate foliage, with a long         mucronate tip, growing in a compact basal rosette with secondary         rosettes eventually developing at the base of the primary         rosette; and     -   2. ‘OVROCKS08’ exhibits relatively dark green foliage that is         moderately to densely covered with very light greyed-green         protuberances that are randomly arranged on the leaf surface;         and     -   3. ‘OVROCKS08’ exhibits a subset of protuberances along the         distal centerline of the abaxial foliar surface, arranged in a         distinct line, that are modified into spines; and     -   4. ‘OVROCKS08’ exhibits finely dentate margins with very light         greyed-green teeth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of ‘OVROCKS08’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. This plant is approximately 1 year old, shown planted in a 12 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliage arrangement of ‘OVROCKS08’.

FIG. 3 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the adaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘OVROCKS08’.

FIG. 4 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the abaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘OVROCKS08’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements made in November of 2020 describe averages from a sample set of six specimens of 1 year old ‘OVROCKS08’ plants grown in 12 cm nursery containers at commercial greenhouse in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. Plants were produced using conventional greenhouse production protocols for xGasteraloe which consisted of minimal overhead irrigation and fertilizer applications. No pest or disease control measures were utilized in production. Plants were grown under shade (approximately 10,000 lux) and no photoperiodic treatments or artificial light was given to the plants.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘OVROCKS08’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety may differ from the descriptions set forth herein with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘OVROCKS08’ and a comparison with the parent and closest known comparator is provided below.

-   Plant description:     -   -   Growth habit.—Succulent perennial with foliage growing in a             compact basal rosette; as plants age, secondary rosettes             eventually develop at the base of the primary rosette.         -   Plant form.—Globular.         -   Height from soil level to top of foliar plane.—12.8 cm.         -   Plant spread.—Average of 15.5 cm.         -   Growth rate.—Slow to moderate rate of growth.         -   Plant vigor.—Moderately vigorous.         -   Propagation.—Type — Leaf cuttings. Time to initiate rooting             — Approximately 5 weeks at an approximate temperature of 21             degrees Celsius. Crop time — Approximately 1 year to produce             a marketable plant in a 9 cm container.         -   Disease and pest resistance or susceptibility.—Neither             resistance nor susceptibility to typical xGasteraloe pests             and diseases has been observed.         -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10             to 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius;             moderate tolerance to rain yet drought tolerant once             established; high tolerance to wind. -   Root system:     -   -   General.—Fine, well-branched fibrous roots. -   Stems:     -   -   Branching habit.—No stems or branches; leaves arranged in a             basal rosette. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Spirally arranged in a basal rosette.         -   Division.—Simple.         -   Attachment.—Sessile.         -   Quantity.—Approximately 33 leaves per rosette.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Dimensions.—9.0 cm long, 2.6 cm wide, and 1.2 cm thick.         -   Aspect.—Flat to very slightly concave.         -   Attitude.—Foliage is held upright at and near the center of             the rosettes and becomes progressively more relaxed towards             the outer whorls of foliage, at an average angle of 50             degrees from horizontal; lamina is very slightly curled             downward with the distal portion at and near the apex being             slightly curled upward.         -   Apex.—Apiculate with a long, soft mucronate tip.         -   Base.—Broad cuneate.         -   Margin.—Finely dentate; teeth have an average length of 0.75             cm and are colored greyed-green, nearest to RHS 191B.             Margins are not undulated or lobed.         -   Pubescence and texture of the adaxial surface.—Glabrous,             smooth, and moderately to densely covered with small, round             protuberances that are randomly arranged on the leaf             surface; protuberances are approximately 0.175 cm in             diameter.         -   Pubescence and texture of the abaxial surface.—Glabrous,             smooth, and moderately to densely covered with small, round             protuberances that are randomly arranged on the leaf             surface; protuberances are approximately 0.2 cm long and             0.15 cm wide. A small subset of protuberances along the             distal centerline are arranged in a distinct line and are             modified into spines. These spines are similar in size and             color to the dentate teeth along the foliar margins.         -   Luster of the adaxial surface.—Moderately glossy.         -   Luster of the abaxial surface.—Moderately glossy.         -   Color.—Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Green, nearest to             in between RHS NN137A and 137A, and fading to yellow-green             towards the base, nearest to a mixture of RHS 145A and 146D.             Protuberances are colored greyed-green, nearest to a mixture             of RHS 193A and 193B. Juvenile foliage, abaxial surface —             Green, nearest to a mixture of RHS NN137A and NN139A, and             fading to yellow-green towards the base, nearest to RHS             145A. Protuberances are colored greyed-green, nearest to a             mixture of RHS 193A and 193B. Mature foliage, adaxial             surface — Nearest to in between green and yellow-green, RHS             139A and 147A yet slightly darker; fading to yellow-green             towards the base, nearest to a mixture of RHS N148B and             N148C. Protuberances are colored greyed-green, nearest to a             mixture of RHS 191A and 191B. Mature foliage, abaxial             surface — Nearest to in between green and yellow-green, RHS             NN137A and 147A; fading to yellow-green towards the base,             nearest to in between RHS 147D and 148D. Protuberances are             colored greyed-green, nearest to RHS 191C.         -   Venation.—Pattern — No venation is visible. Color, adaxial             surface — No venation is visible. Color, abaxial surface —             No venation is visible.         -   Petiole.—No petiole; leaves are sessile. -   Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.

Comparisons With the Parent Plants

Plants of the new cultivar ‘OVROCKS08’ differ from the seed parent, an unnamed xGasteraloe plant (not patented), in the following characteristics described in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘OVROCKS08’ The parent. Foliage attitude. More upright than the More relaxed than parent. ‘OVROCKS08’. Foliage shape. Narrower than the Broader than parent. ‘OVROCKS08’. Foliage thickness. Thinner than the parent. Thicker than ‘OVROCKS08’. Foliar apex. Mucronate tip is longer Mucronate tip is than that of the parent. shorter than that of ‘OVROCKS08’. General color- In between green and In between green and ation of the yellow-green; generally greyed-green; generally foliage. appearing as lighter appearing as darker green green by comparison by comparison to to the parent. ‘OVROCKS08’.

Comparison With the Closest Known Comparator

Plants of the new cultivar ‘OVROCKS08’ differ from the most similar variety known to the inventor, xGasteraloe ‘OVROCKS02’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,136), in the following characteristics described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘OVROCKS08’ ‘OVROCKS02’ Growth habit. Basal rosette with Basal rosette that only secondary rosettes occasionally develops eventually developing at secondary rosettes. the base of the primary rosette Foliage shape. Lanceolate. Narrow deltoid. Foliage attitude. More upright than More relaxed than ‘OVROCKS02’. ‘OVROCKS08’. General color. In between green and In between green and ation of the dark yellow-green; yellow-green; generally foliage. generally appearing appearing as lighter as darker green green by by comparison to comparison to ‘OVROCKS02’. ‘OVROCKS08’. General coloration of Colored the same as the Leaves are foliar margins. balance of the lamina. margined light greyed-green. Arrangement of Randomly arranged Loosely arranged in the foliar on the axial rows across the protuberances. leaf surface. leaf surface. Prominence of dentate More prominent. Less prominent. teeth along the foliar margins. 

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of xGasteraloe plant named ‘OVROCKS08’, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 